The present invention is directed to the art of pest control, and more particularly to the art of barriers for impeding route of travel of crawling arthropods at point source, point of entry. It serves as a novel technology in integrated pest management (IPM). The invention is particularly applicable to barriers for interrupting a route of travel of crawling arthropods along passageways that lead to partially enclosed or partially exposed spaces, and may be advantageously employed in these and other environments.
Ants and other crawling arthropods pose a problem to electrical or lighting wall work boxes, pipe flanges, fluid dispensing and intake passageways, enclosed utility boxes, heating, ventilating and air conditioning ports, and other enclosed or partially enclosed vias accessible to the pests. They are also undesirable in living areas, and are known to crawl up support structures to reach beds, table tops, racks and the like.
In agricultural areas where irrigation is used, ants tend to make their way into the tiny microjets that extend from the water feed line. The ants bring sand, dirt, food and other substances with them as they enter the jets. They also leave fecal matter. The fine microjets become clogged, and the flow of water therefrom becomes interrupted such that irrigation is interrupted. The jets must then be cleaned out or replaced on a frequent basis.
In another example, crawling insects that are inside walls or utility passageways often invade interior spaces, such as residential living areas or commercial rooms, by entering through utility wall plates. This is particularly the case in warmer climates or nesting areas in all climates. It is not uncommon for ants to enter into a room via the openings for receptacles and switching outlet components or electrical sockets. Also, if there is a gap between the wall and wall plate, the ants can foreseeably crawl through the gap into the room. They can also crawl into a room through openings defined by plates for cable wires, light switches, blank plates, and the like.
Pipe flanges and other articles that cover openings in walls provide another area where arthropods find access into a room or into a wall. The arthropods or ants crawl behind the flanges or plates, through pipe cracks or through pipe openings covered by flanges, or gaps between the wall and plumbing pipes.
Arthropods pose a serious problem for the microjets and other passageways, vias or enclosed or partially enclosed spaces attractive to such crawling insects. They clog passageways and spread diseases. They are considered a health hazard. Certain insects, such as red fire ants and Argentine ants, tend to sting humans, some to such a great extent to cause grave injury or even death. It is desirable to find a solution or an answer to these critical needs and to develop a way to prevent the arthropods from entering and clogging microjets and other vias. It is further desirable to develop a procedure for eliminating or dramatically reducing the passageway of the crawling arthropods into residential as well as non-residential spaces. Finally, it is desirable to develop an implement and method to obstruct a route of travel of crawling arthropods along an exposed, enclosed, or partially enclosed passageway.
The present invention provides for a novel barrier implement and method for obstructing a route of travel of crawling arthropods that is safe, economical, and durable and provides a solution to the critical needs in integrated pest management.